An investigation into a small plane crash at Banning Municipal Airport resulted in the arrest of a Corona man for alleged marijuana possession and transportation for sale, sheriff’s deputies said.
Alex Furman, 24, was arrested following the Monday crash, in which a Cessna 210 struck into a small fence at the airport at about 1:40 p.m.
The plane also tipped onto its nose during the hard landing, but the pilot was not seriously hurt during the incident, according to the FAA.
According to Lt. Paul Bennett, the sheriff’s department, along with the Drug Enforcement Administration and Banning Police Department began looking into the crash, though investigators did not specify what exactly led to the drug charges. Deputies also did not confirm if Furman was the Cessna’s pilot.
Prosecutors charged Furman Wednesday with possession of more than $100,000 obtained from a transaction involving a controlled substance, possession of marijuana for sale, and transportation of marijuana for sale.
Furman pleaded not guilty to all charges and will return to court in Banning Monday for a felony settlement conference, according to court records.
He was being held in lieu of $1 million bail.
–City News Service